What You Are
by writer-in-chains
Summary: After defeating Voldemort, Harry risks a promising career to seek revenge on Severus Snape, but discovers that not everything is at it seems.
1. Harry's Heartbreak

_A/N: This chapter is pretty much background for what's to come, I promise more action and actual Snape! Please read and review. _

Rain poured down into the dark alley in a steady torrent, slowly turning the grimy pavement into a giant rust colored puddle. A tabby cat with matted fur darted out from behind an overturned garbage can, and the sound of sirens could be heard faintly in the distance.

With a loud crack Harry Potter appeared in the alley, and immediately let out a whispered swear upon realizing he was ankle deep in rancid water. A moment later another man appeared beside him, one with a large faded scar across one side of his face, stretching from his eye down to his upper lip.

"You ready Potter?" The man inquired casually, tucking his own wand back into the front pocket of his uniform.

Harry snorted, though he was gripping his own wand so tightly his fingers had gone numb. He knew it was almost ridiculous to be nervous now, especially after everything he had been through. But this would decide everything, and that knowledge twisted his stomach into knots.

"Yes, Mr. White." Said Harry confidently, though his palms were slick with moisture.

Down in the murky alley he could see two figures moving, growing dangerously closer with every step. Harry took a deep calming breath, and tried to remind himself that he was not afraid of lay down that alley, but rather what lay ahead if he failed.

"You may proceed whenever you wish." White said, grabbing the clip board that appeared in front of him.

Harry nodded, his throat dry. Soon this would all be over, and his entire future would be decided. After a quick glance over his shoulder he lifted his wand into the ministry-mandated position, and then took off into a run, splashing furiously through the puddles with a familiar determined gleam in his eyes.

---

"Harry!" Ginny Weasley cried, pushing the crowd of late night revelers crowded around the Leaky Cauldron's bar. "Harry, did you pass?"

Harry stood in the doorway for a moment, trying to ignore the way his heart fluttered when she said his name. She was wearing a new dress, it was the color of jade, and it made her eyes sparkle in the dim light.

"Yeah." He said with a smile, stepping forward to accept a polite hug. "How 'bout you?"

Ginny stepped back again, her eyes shining with happy tears. Over her shoulder he could see Ron and Hermione sitting at the bar, both grinning at him in triumph.

"I passed too!" Ginny cried, launching herself into his arms once more.

Harry stumbled back a little, unsure of whether to return to gesture. Eventually he settled on a few awkward pats on the back, and thankfully she let him go.

"I'm so happy!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bar. "I was so afraid that this whole year would have been for nothing, and Tonks kept telling me not to worry..."

When Harry approached the bar Hermione and Ron begun to gush their congratulations, drowning Ginny out.

"How does it feel to finally be an Auror?" Hermione asked, with a bright smile.

"Bet it feels good, huh?" Ron exclaimed cheerfully, before shoving a handful of bar nuts into his mouth.

Harry shrugged, because in truth it hadn't really set in yet. After defeating Voldemort at the end of what would have been his seventh year, he had only a vague idea of what he wanted to do with his life. He had seen so much violence and given so much of himself, that a career as Auror no longer seemed as appealing as it once did. But after a year of letting life pass him by, and with the news that Ginny had been accepted to the program, he knew it was time. Thankfully Tonks had been able to pull some strings, and get Harry in without a single N.E.W.T. to his name. Though of course, the fact that he had defeated one of the most powerful wizards of all time couldn't have hurt either.

"Harry, I can't believe we start on Monday." Ginny said, jumping up onto an empty barstool. "Everything seems to be happening so quickly."

Harry sat down beside her, again fighting the fluttering in his stomach. Perhaps if he ignored it, it would go away. He always hoped, but it never worked.

"I know what you mean." Harry said quickly, a thought quickly occurring to him.

This would be the perfect moment to ask her. He had been waiting weeks for this moment, agonizing and plotting all the while.

"I can hardly believe the wedding is only in two weeks." He continued. "And I've been thinking..."

Suddenly his voice faltered at the sight of a familiar face weaving through the crowd. White, his head instructor during Auror training. It was rumored that he gotten the scar across his face during a run in with a death eater just before Voldemort's fall.

What if there had been a mistake, and he was here to tell Harry that he had actually failed? Harry suddenly felt like he was going to be sick, and gripped onto the ledge of the sticky bar for support.

"Hey Potter." White said causally, walking over and giving him a hearty slap on the back. "Didn't expect to see you here, but might as well offer my congratulations while I can."

"Thanks." Harry said, almost melting with relief.

There was a moment of extended silence, Harry expecting White to turn and walk away, and Ron and Hermione looked oddly petrified.

"Alex." Ginny said at last, looking a few shades paler than she had only moments before. "I didn't think that you were coming..."

Alex? Since when were students allowed to call their instructors by their first names, Harry thought. Though technically, Ginny was no longer his student.

"You know I wouldn't pass up a chance to celebrate my girl's success." Alex said, winking at Ginny, who was still growing paler by the second.

My girl? Harry felt his hand clench into a fist. This couldn't be happening, there was absolutely no way. Ginny and Alex White...Ginny and _him. _White had to be at least then years older than her! No, Harry must have misunderstood. It couldn't be possible.

"No really, we were just leaving." Ginny said, grabbing Alex by the elbow and pulling him towards the door.

Hermione gave Harry a sympathetic look, while Ron stared down into his drink, his face bright red. Suddenly Harry knew, and he felt his heart twinge with a volatile mix of anger and hurt. Harry turned just in time to see Ginny plant a deep kiss on Alex's lips, before giving him a gentle shove back out into the street.

"I'm sorry Harry." Hermione said in a soft voice. "I'm sure she was going to tell you..."

"They've only been dating for a few weeks mate." Ron piped in. "And hasn't it been three years now? You probably don't even care, right?"

Harry shook his head, though his heart clearly said otherwise. They had been through this before, once, right after Voldemort had been defeated. He hadn't really expected Ginny to wait for him, but he had still clung onto the faint hope that the short time they had shared together could beat the odds of distance and time. Sadly, it hadn't.

Ginny returned to the group, carefully avoiding Harry's gaze. Hermione and Ron began to chatter about their wedding, though Harry didn't hear a word they said. Abruptlyhe stood up and without saying a word, started towards the door. Ron jumped out of his chair, and followed Harry outside onto the muggle street.

"What the hell was that?" Ron demanded, struggling to keep up with his friend. "I thought you said you were over her."

Harry didn't respond, but stopped walking and leaned back against a weathered brick fall. He shoved his hands into his pockets, deeply involved in an inner turmoil. Meanwhile Ron bit his lip, looking equally troubled. Hermione would know how to get out of this without choosing sides, but Ron felt hopelessly lost.

"I was going to ask her to wedding." Harry said finally, staring at a crack in the sidewalk.

Ron shuffled his feet, almost wishing that Harry had kept his conflicted feelings to himself.

"There are tons of other girls you can ask." Ron quipped, knowing it was probably the wrong to say. "I mean, you're practically a celebrity."

"I don't want to ask anyone else." Harry said, the hurt and anger bubbling to the surface once again. "I'd rather go alone."

Ron nodded, because he understood. If Hermione ever left him...well, it wouldn't be pretty. He gave Harry an awkward pat on the shoulder, and then starting walking back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Listen, I'm just going to go home." Harry said. "It's getting late."

"You're still coming to dinner tomorrow night, right?" Ron said, offering a half-hearted smile. "You know how it breaks my Mum's heart when you don't show."

"Yeah, I'll be there." Harry laughed, though his heart wasn't in it. "See you tomorrow."

"Night then."

Harry walked a few blocks, making sure the coast was clear of muggles, before apperating back to Godric's Hollow. He rented a cottage very close to the spot where his parents home had once stood, and right down the road from their graves. He had made a habit of visiting there often, especially in times of trouble. Now, he found himself apperating there almost automatically. The flowers Lupin had left on his mother's grave for her birthday were still there, though they were wilting. Harry whispered a rejuvenating spell, feeling a bit of pride has he watched them bloom back to life. Then he moved to his father's gravestone, and sat down beside it. At first it felt strange speaking to them, especially since he could hardly remembered his parents. Now it was almost natural.

"Dad." Harry said, picking a blade of grass and twirling it in his fingers. "How did you get Mom love you?"

Harry listened to the wind blowing gently through the trees like little whispers, and imagined it was his father whispering to him. He imagined that his father would tell him that it was not bravado or charm, but heart that had won over Lily Evans.


	2. Posters and Rose Petals

_A/N: Please, please, review! I hate to beg, but I'd like to know if anyone actually likes this story, and whether it's worth it to continue, as this is very much a work in progress._

The next morning Harry awoke to furious rapping at his front door. Bleary eyed, he threw on a crumpled t-shirt and some worn jeans he found on his bedroom floor, and then stumbled downstairs. Ron was waiting for him with his face pressed up against the sitting room window, grinning sheepishly. In the background Harry was sure he heard Hermione's familiar nagging.

Yawning and feeling slightly disgruntled, Harry threw open door.

"Can't a man sleep?" He complained, looking over his shoulder to the clock on the mantle. "It's not even nine o'clock yet."

Ron stepped inside, his nose red from the early morning chill. Sheepishly he offered Harry an apologetic shrug, and threw himself down onto an old plaid armchair that Harry had taken from Grimmuald Place. Hermione followed him inside, glowering at the back of Ron's head.

"I can't believe you forgot to tell him." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Tell me what?" Harry asked, sitting down across from Ron and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Hermione glowered again at Ron, who reddened slightly. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes, because he had the vague feeling that his best friend had messed up again.

"I made an appointment for you and Ron to get fitted for your dress robes today." Hermione said in hiss, her words clearly directed at her future husband. "Madam Malkin had them ordered especially, and now we're going to be late. Ifshe can't squeeze us in anyway I don't know what I'm going to do. The groom and the best man have to have dress robes, and there isn't going to be any other time..."

"Let's go then." Harry said, eager to derail Hermione before she got really angry.

He jumped up out of his seat, and ran into the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and deciding his hair was a lost cause, he quickly threw on his sneakers and a jacket and met Hermione and Ron outside.

They were standing a few feet apart, both looking extremely sour. Harry had hoped to spend a relaxing day at home, though he suddenly realized that wasn't going to be case.

---

"If she sticks me with a needle one more time." Ron said under his breath, standing on a wooden stool with his arms spread out like a scarecrow's.

Madam Malkin was busy hovering around his feet, pining the hem of Ron's new dress robes, which Harry was sure was too short to begin with.

"Maybe she's going blind." Harry whispered back, glad that he had volunteered to go first.

At least he had gotten it over with. Hermione looked up from the corner, where she was sittingon a over stuffed chair pouring over a dog-eared issue of _Witches Bridal Monthly. _It had taken Harry some time to get used to the fact that Hermione and Ron were actually going to be married, and he had to admit that the flurry of activity and anxiety surrounding the wedding hadn't exactly endeared him to the idea.

"Ow!" Ron exclaimed, struggling not to lose his balance. "That went straight through to my ankle!"

Hermione looked up, and then shoved the magazine into her oversized hand bag. Harry could see a small smile hiding on the edges of her lips, and he was sure she was getting some sort of pleasure out of watching Ron suffer.

"No, no... Madam Malkin." Hermione said, crossing the room to join them. "That hem is much too short. I'm sorry, I meant to tell you to take it out."

"You could have said something earlier." Ron huffed at her. "How much longer is this going to take anyway?"

"Long enough." Hermione said, in a teasing tone. "Harry and I will be back in a half-hour or so, you should be done then."

Harry jerked his head up, ready to jump at the opportunity to get out of the stuffy shop.

"You're not really going to leave me, are you?" Ron asked, almost anxiously.

"Sure we are." Harry responded happily, grinning at Ron as he followed Hermione out onto the busy street.

It was one of those rare beautiful days right before autumn turns to winter, when the air is crisp without being cold, and even in the city you can still catch a hint of the rich scent of burning leaves. Many witches and wizards were out enjoying what might be one of these last beautiful days of fall, and Diagon Alley was awash with people.

"How about we let Ron stew for a while." Hermione said, smiling. "Let's go get some hot cider."

In the spot where Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor had once stood, a trendy new café had sprung up. It was nearly bursting with people, though Harry and Hermione managed to find a table out on the sidewalk. While they were waiting for their waitress to come, Harry stared out at the crowds passing by.

It didn't happen often, but every now and then he would see a familiar face from Hogwarts. Only yesterday morning he had seen Neville in the ministry lobby, pushing his grandmother past in a wheelchair. A day or two before that he had run into a very pregnant Lavender Brown, whose husband had been training to be an auror along with Harry.

Though something else caught his eye today. Squinting through the crowds milling in front of the café and strolling by, he could see a familiar poster pasted on a brick wall, apparently long ago forgotten. It was torn and faded with age, though Harry still felt his stomach drop at the sight. _Severus Snape( _the poster read, above a picture of the sneering former Hogwarts professor) _Known Death Eater, wanted for the murder of Albus Dumbledore. 1000 Galleon reward for any information leading to his capture._

Harry snorted. Those posters had been worthless. No one had seen Snape since Dumbledore's murder, at least no one who was talking or alive to tell the tale. Next to defeating Voldemort, bringing Snape to justice had been Harry's greatest ambition. As time passed, and the search became ever more fruitless, Harry had reluctantly given in to the fact that Snape was either dead, or might never be captured. Still, reminders like these stung in a way he couldn't describe. Letting Snape get away had been his only great failure, and it wasn't easy to cope with.

"Would likea pumpkin pasty?" Hermione said cheerfully, obliviously to sudden plunge Harry's move had taken."I know you didn't have any breakfast."

"No." Harry said flatly, staring into the poster's dark black eyes. "I'm not really hungry anymore."

After they had eaten Harry let Hermione walk ahead of him, and then quickly darted across the street. Without really knowing why, he peeled the poster off the wall, and then folded it and shoved it into his jacket pocket. He ran to catch up to Hermione, feeling very much like a child who had barely avoiding being caught doing something bad.

"Do you want to come with us to put the final touches of the flowers?" Hermione asked, as soon as they caught up with a scowling Ron. "It's a very nice muggle florist, and its only just a short ride on the underground from here..."

"No, I'd better get back." Harry said quickly. "I promised Mrs. Lloyd that I would help her degnome her garden."

Mrs. Lloyd was his elderly landlord, who lived in a big house just down the road from his own. She had met his parents, though only briefly, and had taken a particular liking to Harry. It wasn't strange for him to come home from a long day of auror training and find her waiting on his doorstep with a hot meal and a fresh slice of pie.

"Lucky you." Ron said tartly. "Don't forget about dinner, alright? Mum said to tell you we're eating at six, but I think Fred and George are coming early..."

"And Fleur and Bill are bringing the baby, and I know you haven't seen them in months, and Tonks and Lupin are coming too." Hermione piped in, giving Harry a warm hug. "So don't be late!"

Thinking that he didn't what he would do without Ron's family to call his own, Harry quickly said his goodbyes, and then apperated back home.

---

With a soft pop Harry found himself in his front yard, an odd feeling gnawing at the pit of his stomach. For some reason he didn't think he could face the lonely quiet of his small cottage, even though it was something he usually enjoyed. Instead of going inside, he turned around and walked down the road to Mrs. Lloyd's.

Her plump gray cat was resting in the sun beside her front porch, and lazily followed Harry with her eyes as he ran up and knocked loudly on the door. Mrs. Lloyd was a bit deaf, and sometimes it could take her ages to answer the door. After a few minutes Harry knocked again, and then peered into the front window. The fireplace in the parlor was empty. For some odd reason Mrs. Lloyd always had a fire going, even in the summer. The only time she let it die was when she was out.

Frowning, Harry sat down on her front step. He really didn't want to go home, and even though he was almost sure of where Mrs. Lloyd was, he was less positive if she would want company. Deciding that he might as well take a chance, Harry jumped up and then walked the familiar road up to the town graveyard.

Mr. Augustus Lloyd, her husband, was buried very close to Harry's parents. He had often seen her there tending to his grave, and he knew that during the weeks that he was busy, she watched over his parents graves as well. He was thankful, but he wasn't sure if this meant it was okay to interrupt her during such a private time, secretly wondering if she talked to her husband the same way she talked to his parents.

Sure enough, he found Mrs. Lloyd weeding the grass around her husband's headstone. She gave him a friendly smile, which Harry returned in relief. Giving her some space, he walked over to where his parents had been laid to rest. To his surprise there were fresh flowers resting on his mother's headstone. Mrs. Lloyd must have left them, he had better remember to thank her...

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Mrs. Lloyd said, clapping the excess dirt off of her hands and coming to stand beside Harry. "Would you like to come by for some tea, we can drink it out under that beautiful oak tree in my garden."

Harry nodded, glad for the invitation. Tea with Mrs. Lloyd could take hours, and though he didn't always enjoy it, right now he was sure he needed the company.

"I'd like that." Harry said. "Thanks for the flowers, by the way."

"Flowers?" She responded, squinting in confusion.

Harry pointed at the roses on his mother's grave, and she titled her head back and laughed.

"Oh no, dear. I didn't leave those." She said. "I never liked roses much. A man came and left them early this morning. I was walking past, on my morning constitutional, and I saw him through the fence."

"Must have been my friend Remus." He said, wondering what had prompted him to visit his mother's grave without Harry. "He likes to visit my Mum and Dad sometimes."

Mrs. Lloyd shook her head slowly, like she was struggling to remember something.

"I've met Remus haven't I?" She said, a haziness to her voice. "Yes, at your cottage on New Years Day."

"Yeah." Harry said with surprise. "You did. I nearly forgot about that."

"He's a charming man." Mrs. Lloyd said, smiling. "But the man here this morning wasn't him. He looked a little younger. I've seen him here several times in fact."

Harry's brow wrinkled in confusion. Who in the world would be visiting his mother's grave? He bent down to pick up the bushel of roses, hoping they would leave him some clue. As the leaned over the poster he had tucked in his jacket fell out. With surprising speed Mrs. Lloyd reached down, and picked it up for him. While he examined the flowers, which were nothing more than flowers of course, Mrs. Lloyd unfolded the poster.

"Well, isn't that odd." She said, clucking her tongue. "This here, this is very man we were just discussing."

"Where?" Harry said, looking around, before he realized that Mrs. Lloyd was talking about the poster.

Harry felt like his stomach had gone crashing to the ground. His was heart was suddenly beating a such a furious pace he was sure it was going to burst straight through his chest at any moment.

"Are you...I mean...are you sure?" Harry stammered.

Mrs. Lloyd nodded, apparently unaware of his distress.

"Yes, I'm positive." She insisted. "Only he's got a few streaks of gray in his hair now, I noticed that."

Harry staggered a few steps, and then leaned against the ivy covered walls of an old mausoleum for support. Why? Why would Snape be visiting his mother's grave, expect to taunt Harry? Were these flowers some sort of a message?

He was holding them tightly in his hands that most of the stems were broken, and many of the delicate petals were crushed.

"Can we have tea another day, Mrs. Lloyd?" Harry said, staring down at the blood red petals. "Something very important has just come up."

With shaking hands he took the poster from her, and then silently walked towards the cemetery gate as Mrs. Lloyd looked on curiously. As soon as stepped onto the road he apperated, leavingnothing but afew rose petals fluttering down to the ground in his wake.


	3. The Downside of Anger

_A/N: Special thanks to Julie, Bubblypop, Mummsy, Danaluv, Saphire Starlet, Padawan Jan-AQ, and Molly Morrison for their kind reviews. You guys made my day! _

_Next chapter will hopefully be up tomorrow : ) _

Harry's mind felt like a crowded room, so full with voices it was impossible to concentrate on just a single one. Tearing up the front walk to the Burrow, he was barely aware of anything expect the buzzing in his head.

He burst through the kitchen door, breathless from the run. Hermione was standing at the counter, deftly peeling carrots, chopping up radishes, and stirring a bubbling mixture on the stove with a few well placed spells. She let out a small shout of surprise when Harry bounded in, pushing the door open with such force it slammed against the wall with a violent thud. The roses were still clutched in his sweaty palms, and he was finding it harder and harder to breath.

"Harry!" She shouted, though there was little anger in her voice. "Are you trying to scare me half..."

"Mrs. Lloyd...Snape...cemetery..."

Was all Harry managed to get out, waving the flowers at her as if they alone would explain what had just happened. The flurried activity in the kitchen came to halt as she lowered her wand, and took a few hesitant steps in his direction.

"Harry calm down." She demanded. "I can barely understand you."

Harry took a deep breath, well aware that he was letting his anger and shock get the better of him. After a few more gulps of cool air, his head seemed to clear enough to at least get his point across.

"Mrs. Lloyd says that she's seen Snape in the cemetery, at my parent's graves." Harry said, his chest tightening with every word. "We think he left these."

He thrust the wilting flowers forward for Hermione to examine. She gingerly took them from him, staring down at them almost as if she expected them to attack her.

"I know it sounds insane." Harry said in a small voice. "You must think I've finally snapped."

"No, its not that." Hermione replied, her words coming out slow and deliberate. "Just tell me everything that happened."

Harry recounted the entire incident, his heart racing in his chest, while Hermione sank down onto a kitchen chair and listened. Every so often she would nod to let him know she was following, but other than that she made no movement or sound.

"Well?" He said breathlessly, after he had finished.

Hermione stood up again, looking both agitated and confused. Harry knew on instinct that there must be a hundred questions swirling through her mind, and it was only a matter of finding the right one to ask.

"Are you sure that Mrs. Lloyd is a dependable witness?" Hermione asked at last. "Every time she sees me she calls me Henrietta, and she thinks the Minister of Magic is still Dorista Flenblatt, and she went out of office well before our parents were even born..."

"I know." Harry said sharply.

He was angry partly because he had been hoping Hermione wouldn't accuse Mrs. Lloyd of being senile, but he was also angry because he knew it could be true.

"I'm positive she knows what she's talking about." He insisted harshly, trying to ignore Hermione's concerned expression. "And if you're not going to help me find Snape I'll just have to do it alone."

Hermione sighed loudly, glaring at him as if to tell him he really ought to know better. He knew she expected him to feel guilty or sheepish at least, and that was making him even more upset.

"Honestly." Hermione said, followed by a puff of breath. "I_ am_ trying to help you. I'm just going about it a little more rationally, that's all."

"I brought down Voldemort without your help, remember." Harry hissed, this new tidal wave of emotions washing over him. "In fact, I'd rather that you kept out of it!"

"You're the one that came to me!" Hermione shouted back.

She rarely lost her temper, and Harry knew he must have really upset her. Though at the moment, he didn't care very much. He wasn't sure what reaction he had expected from Hermione, but with so many doubts plaguing his own mind, the didn't want to be faced with her's as well.

"Where's Ron?" Harry demanded, staring at her like a petulant child.

"He isn't here." She hissed back. "And he's just going to say the same thing to you anyway..."

Perhaps it was the reminder of Snape, and all that he had done to destroy Harry's world. Maybe it was the shock of _finally _having a clue to where Snape might be, but feeling powerless to act on it. Whatever it was, something was nudging Harry towards the brink of a breakdown.

"Shut up!" He shouted at Hermione, grabbing for the nearest blunt object.

It happened to be an empty ceramic bowl, which he picked up and launched at her head. Hermione ducked just in time, and the bowl shattered against the wall above the sink. Hermione lifted her head, wearing an expression of shock and hurt.

"Harry..." She began, but Harry wasn't about to stay put and listen.

He pushed past her, and out into the garden. Once again he felt breathless, and now guilty as well. He knew he shouldn't have lost his temper, but he felt like he was trapped in a landslide, and everything was coming down on him all at once.

He waited for a few moments, and when Hermione didn't come outside after him, he walked down front path again. A second later he was gone, only a loud pop of air and a sudden breeze reminding the world that he ever been there at all.

---

Harry leaned up against the cracked headstone, struggling to stay awake. It was colder than he expected, and he had nothing but a sweatshirt and his invisibility cloak to protect him from the night air. Back in his cottage he had a warm fire burning in the hearth, and the promise of sleep seemed so inviting he could barely resist, but Harry was determined. If Snape should ever make the mistake of coming back here, and Harry wasn't going to let him get away again.

He stared up at the sky, craning his next so he might stay under the safety of his cloak. The moon was nearly full, shining beautifully like a bright silver orb. It made Harry think of Lupin, who would have been at the Burrow tonight. He should have never lost his temper, if only so he could have stayed and spoken to Remus. He would have been able to tell Harry what to do, or at least give him some advice.

In the distance a dog let out a mournful howl, and Harry sunk deeper into his cloak, shivering. He felt so stupid, sitting here in the dark, waiting for someone that would probably never come. Even if Snape did show, Harry didn't have the slightest idea of what he would do. He wasn't going to kill him, though the thought was tempting. He would have to injure or immobilize him, and then what? Bring him to the ministry? Yes, Harry supposed that was the only logical thing to do.

Harry took in a sharp breath as he heard a soft pop, a sound so small he nearly missed it. He struggled to his feet, his wand at the ready. It had to be Snape, who else would be here in the middle of the night? His heart was beating so violently it hurt, and for the first time in what felt like ages, Harry was truly frightened.

His throat went dry when he heard a second, much louder crack of air. A line of pine trees blocked his view of the road, but he knew two people must be there. At least he had the advantage, because they wouldn't be expecting him. They wouldn't even see him.

His feet crunching on the dead leaves underfoot, Harry inched forward as nimbly as he knew how. It Snape wasn't alone, this meant Harry was going to have to strike early and strong. Catch them off guard, and then bring them down.

He lifted his wand, positioning himself so the moment they walked into the graveyard, he would be ready. A moment passed, one that felt as long as an eternity, before two shadows were visible in the moonlight.

Harry lowered his wand at once, because the bushy-haired silhouette that emerged was unmistakable. With a defeated yet relieved sigh, he slipped out of his invisibility cloak, and approached his friends.

Ginny was standing beside Hermione, and odd glimmer sparkling in her eye as Harry approached. Neither girl looked surprised to see him, though they both had a careworn look about them that suggested they had been looking for him for quite some time.

"Hey." Harry said awkwardly, feeling immensely foolish.

He was glad it was dark, because he was sure his cheeks were burning bright red. The knowledge that Ginny had been looking for him only made them redder.

"Hi." Ginny responded, more brightly than he had expected.

Hermione reminded silent, and even in the faint moonlight Harry could tell she had been crying. He felt so guilty that the emotion seemed to suck all the air from his lungs, and he looked away from her and stared at a spot on the ground instead.

"We were really worried about you." Hermione said, her voice cracking. "I've been trying to floo you all night, and we searched your entire house..."

"We bothered that old neighbor of yours." Ginny piped in, though in a much calmer voice. "She was the one that mentioned that you might be up here."

"Which I should have thought of earlier." Hermione continued. "Honestly Harry, were you out here waiting for him? Are you that certain that he was here?"

Harry was torn between being pleased that Ginny had been looking for him, and feeling foolish for being found out in the middle of night in a graveyard like some sort of an idiot. The latter was obviously Hermione's opinion, because she was looking at Harry like he had gone mad.

"Yeah, I know its dumb." Harry confessed. "I was just about to leave and go to bed, but I'm not about to let this die. Tomorrow I'd like to come up with a plan, with your help. If that's alright with you."

Hermione's expression softened, while Ginny nodded enthusiastically at once.

"Of course we'll help you." Hermione said. "We want to see Snape in Azkaban just as badly as you do.

"Even if we didn't, we would still help you." Ginny added in.

Feeling both touched and exhausted, Harry followed Hermione and Ginny down the road home. No one seemed to want to talk, and Harry was content to stare at Ginny's face in the moonlight whenever he was sure she wasn't looking. They parted at his front door, both promising to come back first thing in the morning.

That night Harry dreamed of Ginny bathed in moonlight, and didn't think of Snape at all.


	4. An Unexpected Guest

_A/N: Sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes in this or any of the other chapters. My sister is supposed to be my beta, but we've had some trouble getting our act together ; )_

The next morning Harry awoke to the sound of an icy rain pattering against his bedroom window. He sunk down into his blankets, the chilly air stinging his nose. On cold mornings like these, it took all of his will power just to get out of bed. Wondering with a sigh if the rain would soon turn to snow, he reluctantly slid out of bed, shuffling his bare feet on the frigid wood floor. Today he would have to come up with some sort of plan to find Snape, although at the moment the picture seemed very bleak. Just because he had possibly been seen here once, it didn't mean he would ever return. Plus, Harry was still not any closer to discovering where he was hiding in meantime. He could be anywhere.

A dreary feeling descending over him like a cloud, Harry sulked down into his small kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. Headwig was waiting on the window ledge, gently tapping her beak against the glass. Harry stared at her in confusion for a moment, because he couldn't clearly remember letting her out the night before. His confusion only heightened when he opened the window and Headwig came fluttering in, rain drops beading off of her feathers and onto the kitchen counter. Clasped in one of her claws was what looked like the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, but Harry didn't even subscribe to the Prophet, mainly because he thought it was a terrific waste of time.

"What have you got for me girl?" Harry asked, tiny lines of worry sprouting up around his brow.

He took the rolled up paper from her, noting that there was a small letter attached. He set the paper down and tossed Headwig a treat from her jar, before unfolding the note.

_Harry,_

_Please take a look at page six. I am sure you will be just as curious as I am as to how this ended up in the paper. Ginny and I will be over soon. _

_-Hermione_

Harry set the note down, and hesitantly picked up the paper. Not entirely sure of what he was looking for, he turned to page six, fighting a feeling of dread. He stared down at the paper for a moment, his eyes scanning the dark printed words but not really taking them in.

_**Murderer Spotted in Godric's Hollow, Fear Spreads Through Town**_

_Infamous murderer Severus Snape has reportedly been spotted in the small village of Godric's Hollow as recently asyesterday morning. Snape is wanted for the murder in cold-blood of former Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. _

_The crime occurred three years ago, when Snape was employed as a professor at the school. The fugitive has eluded capture ever since, and ministry inquiries after his whereabout have previously failed._

_Snape was said to have been sighted in a village graveyard by local hero and former 'chosen one' Harry Potter. Potter was not available for comment, but according to confidential sources the once boy wonder attempted but failed to apprehend the criminal (For details on Potter's recent appointment to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, please turn to page 16)._

_The residents of Godric's Hollow are expressing disbelief and fear in wake of the incident. _

"_This is certainly most shocking." Said local wizard and innkeeper Will Grinbit. "I usually sleep with my doors unlocked at night, but you can be sure I'll be setting up the proper enchantments now."_

"_I can't help but worry for the muggles living in the area." Fellow resident Fiona Walker commented. "They have no way of knowing that a dangerous man may be living in our midst. They have no way of protecting themselves. The ministry really should really do something about that."_

_Department of Magical Law Enforcement official Alex White had this to say to reporters; _

"_As far as the ministry is concerned, Severus Snape has not been anywhere near the vicinity of Godric's Hollow anytime in the recent past."_

_White went on to comment that the rumors surrounding this sighting were "crude and clearly false", and local residents have "not the slightest need to worry". _

Harry read the article twice, and then threw it down on the kitchen table with a look of pure disgust. First off, the Prophet hadn't even bothered to get the story straight. Then they quoted Alex White of all people. He wasn't even really an Auror anymore, he just worked in the training program. Of course, the fact that he was dating Ginny could have been skewing Harry's opinion just a tad bit.

His biggest worry however, was that Snape would see the paper. Before the article, Harry had the advantage of secrecy. Snape probably hadn't the slightest idea that Harry knew about his visits to the graveyard. Even though the article was full of rumor and misinformation, Snape would have to be a fool to assume the same now. If he knew that Harry was looking for him, he would be that much harder to find.

Harry's heart leapt at the sound of soft knocking on his front door. Now that Ginny and Hermione were here, he wouldn't have to shoulder the burden of his darkening thoughts alone. He carefully put Headwig back in her cage, and then hurried towards the door.

Without a second thought, Harry pulled the door, sure he would find his friends waiting on the other side. His stomach lurched in a moment of shock when he realized that his visitor was someone far less expected. A shivering woman was waiting on the doorstep, a red cloak with pure gold edging pulled up to protect her long blond hair from the rain. She was wandless, and clutching the day's copy of the Prophet in her hand as tightly as a dangling man might cling to the edge of a cliff.

It took Harry's racing mind a moment to place this strange caller, and even then he was reluctant to believe it. His breath caught in his throat as she stepped forward and the hood of her cloak slid back. Somehow he had expected that hardship and circumstance would have had the same affect on her appearance as the ocean has as it pounds against the shore. To his surprise she was as pretty as ever, yet he saw her startling beauty as a harsh contrast to what dwelled within.

"Potter." She whispered, her voice breaking as she spoke. "May I have a word with you?"

Both at a loss for words and extremely unsure of what else to do, Harry stepped aside at let Narcissa Malfoy walk into his sitting room. She took off her cloak with shaking hands, and then sat down without being asked. Harry stood frozen in the doorway for a few seconds longer, watching her with a mix of trepidation and bewilderment. When he at last followed her inside he didn't sit, and instead paced the room, ready to move against her at any moment.

"You must be wondering why I've come to you." Narcissa began in a quivering voice. "I'm sure I know what you think of me, so it means a great deal that you'd even give me the chance to speak."

Harry lifted an eyebrow. The last thing he ever expected in this lifetime was for Narcissa Malfoy to show up and start making nice to him. Two years ago, after Harry had testified at Draco's trial, she had threatened to gouge his eyes out in front of half the Wizengamot.

"When my Draco was captured, the first thing they asked him was where Severus Snape was hiding." Narcissa continued, wringing her hands as she spoke.

"He never told them." Harry responded curtly.

He remembered the stinging disappointment of that day. Harry had been jubilant when he heard that Malfoy had been found and would be brought to justice, but equally crushed when he learned that even under Veritaserum, Draco had either been unable or extremely unwilling to give away Snape's location, or even to confirm if he was alive.

"He couldn't tell." She said. "Because he didn't know."

"That's great." Harry said, beginning to lose his patience. "What does that have to do with me?"

"But I knew." Narcissa said, looking pained. "I owe a great debt to Severus, but I can no longer watch my son suffer. I simply can't bear it any longer."

She let out a soft sob, and reached up into her sleeve. Prepared for an attack, Harry drew out his wand with lightening speed, but then lowered it again when Narcissa produced a handkerchief and carefully dabbed it under her watering eyes.

"Perhaps if I told you where Severus is hiding, you can get my Draco out of prison." Narcissa offered hopefully.

"That would be impossible." Harry said darkly. "The ministry would never go for it."

Narcissa jumped out of her chair, her chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. Blinking back more tears, she seemed as unstable as a rickety house standing against a giant gust of wind.

"You can't pretend that you have no influence in the ministry." Narcissa begged. "Please Potter, don't you understand what I'm offering you?"

Harry nodded grimly, his mouth set into a thin angry line. He did understand what she was offering him, but it was something so clearly out of his reach. He knew what he would have to tell her, though he hated doing it. She would have better luck pleading her case at the ministry, though that might land her in Azkaban beside her son rather than free him. If that should happen, they might never know where Snape was hiding. Narcissa was probably smarter than she looked. She would purge all memory of his whereabouts before she allowed them to be forced from her by the Wizengamot.

In an instant, Harry changed his mind. He wasn't going to let Snape slip through his fingers, not when he was so close to finding him.

"Stupefy!" Harry cried, his wand pointed at Narcissa's chest.

Her mouth opened into a silent scream, and she fell backwards with a soft thud. As soon as she hit the ground Harry took off, dashing up the stairs, and dragging the trunk he had once used at Hogwarts out from his bedroom closet. It was in this trunk that he kept the few rather undesirable objects he had acquired over the years. To his great fortune, a half-empty bottle of Veritaserum was one of them. Holding the bottle of clear liquid tightly in his hands, he bounded down the stairs again, coming to halt beside the fallen Narcissa.

His spine tingling with the knowledge that the spell could wear off at any moment, he unscrewed the bottle and titled it forward so a small stream of potion trickled down into her open mouth.

He climbed to his feet again, and took a few steps backwards to put ample distance between himself and Narcissa.

"Revivar." He mouthed quietly, stepping even further back as Narcissa came to life at once.

Sputtering, with fresh tears trailing down her cheeks, she staggered to her feet. With a purely murderous look in her eyes she lunged towards Harry, who silently cast the strongest binding spell he could think of. Narcissa let out a short cry, and fell to the floor once again.

"Let me go!" She shouted hysterically, struggling to kick free of her invisible bonds.

"Not until you tell me where Severus Snape is hiding." Harry demanded, hoping the Veritaserum would do its job.

Looking horrified, Narcissa clamped her mouth shut and shook her head back and forth wildly.

"Where is Severus Snape hiding?" Harry asked again.

An anguished sob escaped Narcissa's firmly set lips as she fought to resist him. Harry felt a tinge of guilt gnawing at him, but quickly shoved into the back of his mind. If this was the only way he was ever going to find Snape, it was worth it.

"Lucius and I kept a house in London, no one else knew about it except Bellatrix and Severus." Narcissa confessed through clenched teeth.

"Is that where Snape is hiding?" Harry asked, an odd burning feeling rising up from his stomach to the back of his throat.

Narcissa let out a few more painful sobs, before jerking her head up so she was staring straight into Harry's green eyes.

"Yes." She responded, in a whisper so slight that it was nearly drown out by Harry's breathing.

"Where is this house in London?" Harry continued on, trying to ignore how broken Narcissa appeared.

It was as if each of his words was a knife straight to her heart, each wound hurting a thousand times worse than the last.

"Its on Court Street, Number 31." She said weakly, more tears slipping down her cheeks and off of her pointed chin.

"I suppose that its unplottable, isn't it." Harry said, guessing as much.

"Yes."

He would have to keep Narcissa here regardless, because Harry was sure she would run off to warn Snape the instant he let her go. Now he had another reason to force her to stay, she would need to tellHermione, Ginny, and Rom where the house was as well.

"Is he alone?"

"Yes."

Harry knew there was much more he should ask her while he had the chance, but he couldn't seem to think of anything else that would be helpful. Seeing Narcissa in this state had begun to make him feel vaguely ill, even though he knew she rightly deserved it.

With an heavy sigh he levitated her onto the couch, where she might be more comfortable.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this." Harry said, feeling obligated to say something. "I promise that after I find Snape, I'll try to get them to take a few years off Draco's sentence."

Narcissa hung her head in a defeated gesture, too weary to try and retaliate against him. Tears dancing on her delicate eyelashes, she was clearly struggling to regain her composure. An odd sense of calm swept over the room, and Harry felt like he was able to breath for the first time in ages. He was suddenly very clear about what he had to do, and could only hope that his plans wouldn't crumble before they had even begun.


	5. Narcissa's Wrath

It was only an hour later that Hermione and Ginny appeared on his doorstep, yet to Harry the time seemed to pass with an excruciating slowness. His entire body seemed to shake with the thought of what was now possible. If Narcissa had been telling the truth, and if everything else went to plan, then by tonight Severus Snape would be sleeping in a jail cell.

Harry was so wrapped up in his own racing thoughts that he barely heard the knocking on his front door, and only became aware of it after Narcissa gave a startled whimper. She was still lying on the couch, a strong binding spell preventing her from escaping or even moving. She was probably convinced that Harry had sent for the ministry, though he wasn't about to bother telling her any different.

He rushed passed without looking in her direction, because for all of his planning he still hadn't decided what to do with her. He didn't feel right turning her into the ministry, who would certainly find reason to put her in Azkaban. At the moment, it didn't seem like he had much of a choice.

He opened the front door the slightest crack, and stuck his head out into the icy drizzle. Ginny and Hermione were crowded together on the front step, both looking extremely sullen. Hermione had her arms crossed over her chest, and her mouth was pressed shut into an angry thin line. Ginny looked equally unsettled, her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and her cheeks looked as if she had applied an overly generous amount of rouge.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked, his eyes darting between the pair.

"Nothing." Ginny said quickly, shooting Hermione a look that Harry could only describe as pleading.

A moment of awkward silence followed, during which Harry's mind rushed back to the task at hand. He had better explain why Narcissa was being held captive in his sitting room, before Ginny and Hermione hauled him off to St. Mungo's to get his head examined.

"I need to tell you something." He began, a little nervously. "But before you flip out, let me explain. Alright?"

"Harry." Hermione said quietly, noticing for the first time that he was intentionally blocking their view of the sitting room. "You haven't got Snape in there, have you?"

Harry let out a strained laugh, because he wasn't sure there was a tremendous difference between having Snape in his sitting room or having Narcissa there instead.

"Not exactly." Harry confessed. "Just...I haven't gone mad or anything, before you ask."

Ginny's brow wrinkled in confusion, a gesture that Harry found oddly attractive. Fighting the urge to stare longingly in her direction, he turned towards Hermione instead.

"I've got Narcissa Malfoy on my couch, under a binding spell." He continued, speaking so quickly he was sure his friends were struggling to keep up. "She came here this morning, to try and weasel Draco out of prison. Maybe she thought the ministry owed me a favor or something."

"You have to let her go Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "That's so illegal it isn't even funny."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, though she didn't seem as shocked as Harry expected.

"She told me where to find Snape." Harry said, dropping his voice down toa whisper.

For the moment, he decided to leave out the fact that he had used Veritaserum to pry the truth from her.

"Really?" Hermione said, stunned. "But I thought..."

The cold rain had begun to fall in earnest now, and Harry stepped aside and gestured for both women to come inside. Hermione did so at once, muttering to herself. Ginny followed, eager to see if Narcissa really was in the sitting room.

Of course she was, and she looked none to pleased to see them.

Her spiritless submission of the past hour seemed to melt away at once as she struggled against her invisible ties, hissing like an angry street cat.

"If don't release right now, I'll murder you all!" She shouted, trashing wildly. "Including you, mudblood!"

"Oh, shut up!" Ginny said boldly. "Before you make me use a silencing spell on you."

The burst of resistance passed rather quickly, as a moment later Narcissa was once again reduced to quivering sobs.

"Harry." Hermione said, frowning in the doorway. "Why do I get the idea that you really didn't think this one through?"

"Because I didn't." Harry responded flatly.

He grabbed Ginny by the wrist, a small shiver running up his spine with the action, and pulled her towards Narcissa. Even though the Veritaserum had long wore off, he hoped she would still obey.

"Tell my friends where Severus Snape is hiding, and I'll let you go."

Hermione moved to protest, but then thought better of it and came to stand beside them. Narcissa stared up at them with limpid eyes, and let out a mournful sigh before speaking.

"You're supposed to be the chosen one." She said in a snake-like whisper. "But you're too afraid to face him alone?"

Harry's jaw quivered, because in truth he was afraid. He had been able to defeat Voldemort because he knew his weaknesses. He didn't have that same advantage with Snape.

"Perhaps I am." Harry said, shamelessly. "Who wouldn't be?"

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Narcissa, and Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder for support.

"Be a man Potter." Narcissa said, in a whisper so slight that Harry had to lean in close just to hear it. "Go after him alone. He deserves a fair fight at least."

Her words sunk into his brain like a thick tonic, making everything seem fuzzy around the edges. It took him a full minute to realize that Narcissa's hand was clasped over his own, when she shouldn't have be able to move.

"What..." He began, but couldn't manage to get the rest of the words free.

Narcissa pounced on him like a rabid lion, clawing at his face with her long fingernails. Harry cried out in surprise, just as she kicked him in the stomach. Before he had time to regain his bearings Narcissa had pushed through Ginny and Hermione, barely dodging their hastily fired spells.

"Grab her!" Harry shouted, but as soon as he had spoken he realized it was too late.

A resounding crack echoed through the cottage, shaking the walls like a tiny earthquake.

Narcissa was gone.

"What happened?" Ginny asked, breathlessly.

"The binding spell must have worn off." Hermione answered in a tiny voice.

For a moment Harry couldn't bear to look at either of them. He reached up and gingerly touched the bleeding scratches Narcissa had left on his face, all the while a stone of dread growing heavy in his stomach.

She had surely gone to warn Snape, and by the time Harry got there it would probably be too late. At this point, it almost foolish to even bother.

The disappointment burned like acid on his heart. He had come so close to finding Snape, only to have it ruined by his own mistake.

_A/N: I hope all this isn't getting tiresome...I promise it has a point. More Snape to come!_


	6. Court Street

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews...and don't worry I won't let anything too bad happen to our Snape : )_

"I've just gotten off the floo with Alex." Ginny said as she walked into the kitchen. "Nearly every available Auror is out looking for Narcissa. He told them that she broke into your house and attacked you, so hopefully there won't be too many questions."

Hermione had her wand pressed up against Harry's face, healing the wounds that Narcissa had left. Her hand shook a little at the mention of Alex's name, and Harry could tell she was trying very hard to hold her tongue.

"What's the matter?" Harry implored, cringing as Hermione pressed the tip of her wand against a particularly deep scratch.

"Why don't you ask _her_." Hermione replied, sending a sharp glance in Ginny's direction.

Ginny let out a huff of breath, and fell into the empty chair beside Harry with a purposeful thud. She looked up at Hermione for a moment, before quickly darting her eyes back towards Harry.

"Last night I told Alex about Snape being seen the graveyard." Ginny explained, pausing to bite her lip. "Hermione thinks he's the one that told the papers about it, since _we _obviously didn't."

"But you don't think he did?" Harry asked, trying very hard not to look into her soft warm eyes.

"I couldn't see him doing that." She gently replied.

"But you don't know for a fact that he didn't." Hermione responded in a quick retort. "And doesn't it seem a little odd that he's quoted in the article? You'd have to be pretty stupid to think..."

"Don't you dare call me stupid!" Ginny shouted suddenly, her face quickly growing red with embarrassment and anger.

"I wasn't." Hermione snorted bitterly, though her expression softened as she spoke. "I didn't mean it that way."

Harry looked at both women, wishing very much that Ron was here right now. At least then he wouldn't be outnumbered.

"When is Ron getting out of work again?" Harry asked hopefully, praying this would be enough to change the subject.

After Voldemort was defeated Ron began working at Fred and George's bustling joke shop. Although he complained about it endlessly and claimed to hate it, he was still there after two years.

"He has to stay late, to finish some inventory." Hermione answered, healing the final wound on Harry's face. "You know how Fred and George get when they think he's slacking off."

Ginny shifted her weight and cleared her throat loudly, and suddenly seemed more uncomfortable than she had even when she was fighting with Hermione. Harry shrugged it off, and as the last cut closed with a sting, he rose up out of his seat.

"You know I'd wait for him" Harry said. "But the sooner I get to Snape the better."

"Harry, are you sure this isn't something that would be better left to the ministry?" Ginny asked, dangerously close to pleading.

Harry reached up and rubbed his temples, because he had been expecting this. He supposed that he would say the same if were any of his friends. After several years of waking up and not knowing if that day would be their last spent alive...well, the desire to avoid that threat ever again was more than understandable.

"The house he's hiding in, its unplottable." Harry said, logically running through each point, maybe more for his benefit than theirs. "So right now I'm the only one who can find it, or get inside. By the time the ministry figures that out, it might be too late."

"But Harry." Ginny interjected. "You're starting work tomorrow! This honestly can't wait a day? We can convince our supervisor to let us go with a whole team of Aurors. It'll be so much safer that way, and I bet catching a criminal like Snape on your very first day will get you a promotion right on the spot."

"Tomorrow might be too late." Harry said, his fingers instinctively curling around his wand as he spoke. "I can't let him get away again, not after what he did."

The memories of that night came flooding into forefront of his mind like a tidal wave, each image more painful than the last. The sickening look of hatred of Snape's face, the eerie green light spilling from his wand, Dumbeldore falling over lifelessly...

Harry shook his head violently, dislodging his thoughts. It was almost ironic now, to think how each death had hurt so much worse than the last. When Cedric died Harry had thought he couldn't feel a guilt any stronger. Then when Sirius had been murdered, he couldn't imagine a pain any deeper. Seeing Dumbledore killed right before his eyes had shattered his beliefs on how painful grief could become. His sole comfort had been his ability to avenge those deaths. For Cedric, he had killed Voldemort. For Sirius, he had captured Bellatrix. Knowing she would never see the world outside of Azkaban again at least dulled the pain a little. But for Dumbledore, he had been unable to do anything. Now he had been given that chance, and he wasn't about to let it slip away.

"I'm going now." Harry said, his feet firmly planted on the floor.

He waited, expecting all sorts of arguments from Ginny and Hermione. To his surprise they only exchanged a brief fleeting glance.

"I'm coming with you." Ginny said, stepping forward to stand beside him.

"Me too." Hermione added. "We should all be in this together, just like we've always been"

Harry nodded, feeling both grateful and worried. He didn't really want to go alone, but if either of them got hurt he didn't think he could live with himself.

"Alright." Harry said gruffly, after a moment of thought. "But be careful!"

---

Harry moved quickly through the slick city streets, Ginny and Hermione struggling to keep pace beside him. Already his heart was beating wildly, giving him a strange light-headed feeling. He slowed his steps as they reached the corner, and craned his neck up to read the street sign.

"Court Street." Harry said aloud, turning to look at his friends. "This has got to be it."

He slipped his backpack off of his shoulders, and pulled out his invisibility cloak. He wasn't sure why he had brought it until this very moment.

"If Narcissa got to him first, and if he's still there, he's probably on the look out for us." Harry explained as he slid the cloak over his shoulders. "I don't want him to see us coming."

Ginny gave a small gasp of delight as his body disappeared, because even after all this time it was still a strange sight.

"My disillusionment charms were never very good." Hermione said. "Would you mind Ginny?"

Harry lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Hermione rarely had to ask for help with anything, and even without finishing her seventh year she was by the far the most brilliant witch he knew. But of course, Ginny had the benefit of Auror training.

"Not a problem."Ginny said brightly, tapping Hermione on the top of the head with her wand before doing the same to herself.

Before Harry's eyes both women slowly seemed to melt into their surroundings, though when they moved Harry could catch the slightest outline of a person. He imagined it must be something like being a chameleon.

"Stay close." Harry instructed, pulling his cloak up over his head.

Cold rain had begun to fall again, and the sidewalk was slick with a layer of fresh ice. Stumbling, he tried to hold up his cloak enough so that he wouldn't slip over it, but he wouldn't expose his feet either.

"Ow!" He exclaimed, as an invisible elbow slammed into his back. "Watch it!"

"Sorry." Ginny muttered. "I almost forgot you were there."

Harry stifled a laugh, because he did have the odd sensation of being alone. He could hear his friend's heavy breathing as they trudged carefully across the slippery pavement, but it seemed that there was nothing but air on either side of him. They walked in this strange manner for another block, when Hermione gasped and tugged on his sleeve.

"Harry look! Right there on your left." He turned to look at the row of houses across the street. "That's number thirty, and right next-door is number thirty-two."

Harry stopped to get his bearings, staring straight at the two brick houses. A car drove by, splashing through the puddles in the street. He squinted, trying to remember Narcissa's voice as she told him about number thirty-one Court Street. There was a squeal of breaks as the car turned the corner, breaking Harry's concentration.

"Do you see the house?" Hermione inquired, as Harry felt her place a hand on his back.

He wished it was Ginny's hand, but then quickly pushed that distracting thought straight from his mind. He squinted again, waiting for number thirty-one to appear. Agonizing seconds passed, while nothing happened. Suddenly he felt like his insides were made of lead.

"I don't see it." He said glumly. "I don't understand..."

He turned to the spot where he guessed Hermione and Ginny were standing, almost forgetting that he would only be greeted with the illusion of emptiness. When he turned back again he let out a soft gasp, because there in between numbers thirty and thirty-two was a new house almost identical to the others. It was a two-story brickdwelling with red trim painted around the large windows and a red front door. All the curtains were drawn shut so it was impossible to see inside, and there was a heavy brass lock on the front gate.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered, but was quickly hushed.

"There it is." Harry said, a small tempest brewing in his stomach.

He felt like he was going to be sick, though he wasn't exactly afraid. Clutching his wand tightly in his right hand, he turned to whisper to his friends.

"Go stand right across the street, as soon as Snape and I cross the front gate you should be able to see us." He said, dreading the way his heart had begun to race in familiar frantic rhythm.

"What if you get into trouble." Hermione implored. "They'll be nothing that we can do!"

"I won't." Harry insisted, though there was littleconfidence behind his words.

For all he knew, he might not come out alive, but it was better not to think that way.

"Just wait here." He said, sounding much braver than he felt.

Before they had a chance to say anything further, Harry pushed forward. He waved his wand in the air in front of his face, testing for enchantments. There were none, or if there had been they had been removed. He hesitantly picked up the brass lock on the front gate. It was heavy in his hands, and humming with magic. Luckily, that wasn't going to be a problem.

Careful not to catch his cloak on the iron fence, Harry hopped the gate, landing with stumbling steps in the front garden. Taking a deep breath to steel himself against whatever might wait for him, he bounded up the front steps, carefully stepping around a patch of ice.

He faltered though, when he reached the red front door. Its glossy color reminded him of blood, and he felt his throat tightening with this grim association. Harry was never one to believe in omens or signs, but he was sure this couldn't possibly be a good one.

He shook his head, hoping this action would send all of his anxious thoughts sinking back into the dark hidden places of his mind.

"Stop being stupid." He whispered to himself, reaching out for the silver doorknob with shaking hands. "This isn't anything you haven't done before."

He clamped his sweaty palm over the cold doorknob. He really didn't expect it turn, but he figured that he might as well try. Of course, it was locked. Harry could tell there was an enchantment set on the front door as well, he could almost feel the magic vibrating in the air around him. He took a step back, trying to think what the proper spell would be. He certainly wouldn't want to do anything that would alert whoever was inside that he was breaking in.

Then things seemed to happened at a very rapid pace. Harry was suddenly sure he heard the sound of muffled voices, and thrust his wand forward so violently he nearly went toppling over. He heard a clicking noise as well, which sounded remarkably like high-heels on pavement. Before Harry had time to react to any of these new developments, the front door swung open.

Harry suppressed a startled cry as he found himself staring straight in Narcissa Malfoy's watery blue eyes.

_A/N: Next Chaper SNAPE! _


	7. Confrontation

_A/N: Sorry for the long delay..._

Harry's breath caught in his throat as he tried to will himself not to make a single sound. Narcissa walked out onto the front step, holding her wand out like a dagger. She was staring straight through Harry, and out onto the rain slicked street.

A perfectly arched eye brow twitched, as Narcissa slowly lowered her wand. She seemed reluctant to turn back inside, and even leaned over to look into the bushes under the front window. Never failing to spot a perfect opportunity Harry held his breath, and slowly inched around her.

She must have felt his cloak brushing against her as he passed, because she spun around so quickly she lost her footing and collapsed on the steps. Harry dove through the open threshold into the darkened house, and immediately took in his surroundings.

He was standing in a glum looking foyer, void of all furnishings expect for a dusty gold-framed mirror hanging on one wall. Off to one side was a narrow staircase running straight upstairs, and off to the other was a set of closed doors and a hallway that Harry could not see down without moving closer.

"Severus!" Narcissa cried, startling Harry.

He bit down on his lip, his forehead shining with nervous sweat. Even though he somehow expected he would be outnumbered, he had not really planned for it. Should he jump out and take care of Narcissa, while Snape was out of sight?

The closed doors slid open, warm light spilling out over where Harry's feet should have been. He stifled a gasp, as Snape stood framed in its bright glow. Although it had been less than three years since their last meeting, Snape looked like he had aged ten. There were thick streaks of grey in his black hair, which hung limply around his pallid face. His cheeks were sunken, which gave him a perpetually sour look. Small wrinkles had cropped up around his cold dark eyes, and across his forehead, which seemed to dull the sharp angles of his face.

"Severus, I think there's someone out there." Narcissa called out, her voice sounding tired and flimsy.

Snape let out a weary sigh, and crossed the room, coming within inches of Harry. He walked out onto the front step, and leaned over and put an arm around Narcissa's waist.

"Your mind is playing tricks on you, no doubt." Snape began, as he helped her into the house.

"But Potter..." Narcissa protested.

"I am far from concerned about Potter." Snape said rather harshly. "So I fail to see why you should be."

Harry followed the pair into a large sitting room, where Snape helped Narcissa onto an overstuffed chair beside the fireplace. It was clear that she must have been crying a great deal, because there was a pile of used tissues on the table beside her. There was also a half empty glass of wine, which had a imprint of red lipstick on the rim.

"Severus, I don't think you understand the danger that you're in." Narcissa said breathlessly. "He knows that you're here! Potter surely wants you dead, I could see it in his eyes."

"Yes, I'm sure." Snape said, his lips pulling up into a sneer.

Narcissa reached for the glass of wine, downing the rest of its contents in a single gulp. She hiccuped, and looked up at Snape with shining eyes.

"We should leave, now." She said, her breathing growing heavy. "You can hide at the manor tonight, and by tomorrow you'll be someplace they'll never find you..."

Harry walked further into the room, taking it all in. There was a large bookcase that took up almost a whole wall, a marble fireplace, and a odd assortment of furniture. The room looked lived in, warm even. It seemed like it would be more at home in the Burrow than in this large cold house.

The floorboards creaked under his feet, and Narcissa threw her head up, her eyes searching the room wildly.

"Did you hear that?" She asked, grabbing onto the sleeves of Snape's black robe.

"It is an old house Narcissa." He said, though his tone was far from soothing. "Calm yourself."

She slowly released him, and he moved to pour her another glass of wine. Harry took in a quivering breath, trying to decide what to do. If he went for Narcissa first it would give Snape time to act against him, but Narcissa could be dangerous as well.

"Don't bother with the wine." Narcissa implored. "There isn't time."

Severus set her glass down gently like it might shatter in his hands, and then walked back towards her. He wore a strained expression, and Harry didn't like the way his eyes seemed to keep darting in his direction.

"Yes, I think you're right." Snape nodded. "But it would not be wise to travel together. You will return to manor and take only what you need. Do you remember where Lucius told you to go, if ever the need arose?"

Narcissa nodded weakly, stiffly rising up out of her chair. Snape put his hand on her forearm, and led her to the fireplace.

"I will meet you there, but I cannot promise it will be tonight." He picked up a glazed stone jar from on top of the mantle and held it out to her. "If anything should happen, I will find a way to send word to you."

Narcissa reached into the jar and took a handful of floo powder. She stepped into the fireplace, ducking to fit inside. She threw the power down in a flash of light, and a second later she was gone.

Snape set the jar back on the mantle, and gathered up the tissues she had left behind and threw them into the fireplace. All the while Harry slowly circled the room, his wand at the ready. If he was going to take Snape down, he was going to do it now.

"I'm surprised Potter." Snape said in a brisk orderly tone. "Have you lost some of that legendary bravado?"

As he spoke drew his wand out from his robes, staring intently only inches from the spot where Harry stood. Harry's heart leapt up into his throat, as his mind struggled to keep up with his racing train of thought. His invisibility cloak was still on firmly over his shoulders, so how...

"You never were very bright." Snape leered, waving his wand in a threatening gesture. "But I must admit I expected more of you."

Harry was too stunned to move, though a white hot anger was slowly urging him towards action.

"You might as well take the cloak off Potter." Snape continued in a strikingly casual tone. "You see, its quite unnecessary"

"You're trying to trick me into taking it off." Harry blurted out, his spine tingling with a familiar rage. "It isn't going to work."

"There you go again Potter, making senseless accusations." He retorted, his eyes following Harry as he inched closer.

"But I was right." Harry said coldly, slowly regaining the upper hand in his mind. "I was always right about what you are."

"Oh really Potter?" Snape replied, an almost jovial expression on his face. "What am I?"

"A murderer!" Harry cried, the tip of his wand jutting out from his invisibility cloak.

Snape made a sound that was akin to a laugh, though his features had rearranged themselves into a pained expression.

"Are you and I so alike?" He said, his voice dropping down to a whisper. "The same could easily be said of you."

Harry stiffened, and it took his a moment to realize that Snape was speaking of Voldemort. His shoulders relaxed at once, because that had been far from murder. Hadn't it?

"Enough!" Harry shouted, kicking an end table over for added effect.

Snape flinched as it hit the ground, but he made no other movement. In a swift gesture Harry threw off his invisibility cloak, and pointed his wand at Snape's chest.

"Don't you find this all a little gratuitous?" Snape asked casually, though his upper lip had begun to twitch with a nervous emotion. "You've never been a match for me..."

"Maybe I wasn't when I was sixteen, but things have changed."

"Indeed." Snape said dryly. "Then what is it exactly that you're waiting for?"

Harry's jaw went rigid, because even he didn't know why he was waiting. Was it for the perfect moment, or the perfect spell? Or was it just because he was afraid?

"Stupefy!" Harry cried, abolt of red light surging from his wand.

Snape easily deflected the spell with a flick of his wrist, sneering at Harry's attempt.

"That was rather pathetic." He hissed, goading Harry on. "I would expect more from the wizard that vanquished the Dark Lord."

"Still hung up on him, are you?" Harry retorted, waiting for Snape to strike.

Though the older man's wand remained drawn, he made no move to attack Harry. Oddly annoyed by this, Harry responded with an even stronger spell. To his growing anger, Snape deflected this as well with little effort.

"Are you going to try and escape, like the coward that you are?" Harry asked bitterly, as Snape began to inch back towards the fireplace.

"Is there a point in my staying, Potter?" Snape inquired, his dark eyes narrowed to tiny slits. "Or are you perhaps holding back some unmerciful spell that will leave me quivering in your wake."

A primal growl forced its way from Harry's throat, his anger threatening to boil over. They both knew he wasn't about to kill or torture Snape, no matter how appealing that might seem. Short of that, Harry could not think of a spell that Snape could not stave off. A sudden memory of Dudley pining him to the floor while he punched him silly surfaced, and Harry felt he couldn't halt his actions anymore than he could stop a speeding train.

It in a single fluid movement he dropped his wand and lunged at Snape, his hands wrapping around his throat. Both men flew backwards as Snape fell off balance, the back of his head hitting the mantle with a sickening thud.

Snape let out a sharp cry of pain, landing on the wooden floor with Harry on top of him. He struggled to shove Harry off, the younger man's hands still wrapped tightly around his neck. For a moment he succeeded, sending Harry rolling a few feet away. Snape rose and stumbled, his hip slamming into the heavy armchair. He fell to his knees as Harry dove for his discarded wand, and before he had time to rise Harry had already whispered the spell.

His eyes went wide just before the spell hit, which gave Harry a small measure of satisfaction. Snape was frozen in place, unable to make even the slightest movement. Shocked that it had actually worked, Harry started down dumbly at his former professor for several moments, before quickly deciding on a course of action.

He picked up his invisibility cloak and shoved it under his arm, and then pointed his wand at Snape. Wordlessly, Snape's rigid body floated up into the air under Harry's direction. Just before they reached the door, Harry spread his cloak over Snape. He couldn't be sure who might be out there watching, and it was better if he wasn't seen with what basically amounted to kidnaped fugitive.

The events of the last few minutes had left Harry little time for serious contemplation, but now he found himself plagued by one troublesome thought. He had expected that his heart would be filled with vindictive joy the day he finally brought Snape to justice, but he didn't feel that way at all. Instead his chest felt heavy, like he had just taken a bag of rocks onto his shoulders.

"No matter." Harry whispered to himself, though he was keenly aware that Snape could hear him. "This is still going to be the worst day of his life."


	8. Harry's Decision

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews! The next chapter will be up hopefully on sunday. _

Harry felt his heart drop when he climbed over the gate, Snape's frozen form suspended in the air in front of him, only to see the street deserted. It took him a moment to remember that Hermione and Ginny were still under their disillusionment charms, so course he wouldn't have seen them. As soon as the thought occurred to him, he noticed the sounds of footsteps splashing through the puddles close by.

"Harry!" A voice exclaimed, one that could only belong to Hermione. "I was so worried."

"You can lift the spell." Harry said, wishing very much that he could see her face. "I think it's safe."

Hermione obeyed, and a second later her body seemed to push out of the landscape. Her hair was even bushier than usual because of the rain, and her cheeks were bright red from the cold. Harry had never been happier to see her.

"What happened?" She demanded, her voice unnaturally high. "You were gone so long, I didn't know what to think..."

Deciding that at the moment actions would speak louder than words, he gestured for her to step forward, and he lifted the edge of the invisibility cloak to reveal Snape's face.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, gasping loudly. "He isn't dead is he?"

"No." Harry said, her words stinging him for a reason couldn't begin to describe. "You know I wouldn't..."

"Of course." Hermione said, a little too enthusiastically. "That was a silly question."

Harry glared at her for a moment, trying to keep this sudden feeling of hurt at bay. It was obvious that she was lying. Hermione thought he was capable of murder. One of his best friends, who knew better than anyone else, thought he would kill in the name of revenge. Would he? He had already done many illegal things today, but it had all been for a noble cause. His actions were far from wrong, weren't they?

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked, eager to end this troubling train of thought.

He had expected her to come running as well, but it seemed as though she wasn't even here.

"We were really worried Harry." Hermione explained, nervously biting her lip. "We thought that maybe we should get some help, in case you didn't come back out again, or if you got hurt..."

"You didn't send for the ministry, did you?" Harry implored, a look of horror sweeping across his face.

What he had just done wasn't entirely illegal, a wizard making a citizens arrests wasn't entirely unheard of. Of course, he would have a harder time explaining how he knew Snape was here. That alone might be enough to get him fired from his new position.

"No!" Hermione cried. "We really didn't know what else to do, since we obviously couldn't come in after you. So Ginny went to fetch Alex..."

"Oh great." Harry groaned, the back of his neck tensing in anger. "Like he isn't going to turn me in on the spot?"

"Why would do something like that?" Hermione asked, taking a few tentative steps away from Harry.

"You know why." He retorted sharply, accidently waving his wand so Snape nearly came crashing to the ground.

Cursing, he steadied his wand and then turned his attention back to Hermione. Her face was flushed, and she was having a hard time meeting his gaze.

"Alex really likes you. He asks after you every time he's at the Burrow, he seems to really be impressed with you." Hermione explained, pausing to give Harry a weak but sincere smile. "To be honest I'm not sure if he even knows that you two dated. So he really has no reason to dislike you."

"Not yet anyway." Harry muttered.

He knew Hermione's words were supposed to sooth his fears, but they didn't. Instead they made him even more weary of this Alex character. There had been several times after Voldemort's defeat that people hung around him, pretending to be his friend, faking adoration and kindness. They always wanted something from him, whether it was the faint hope that some of his unwanted fame would rub off on them, or even the desire to blackmail him because he had something they desired. It was more than understandable that Harry would not easily trust anyone's intentions.

Ginny and Alex shortly came into view, both running in his direction. Ginny looked dispirited to see them standing alone, while Alex merely looked worried.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have gotten yourself into, Potter?" He asked when they were in earshot, though there was no harshness to his voice. "You're lucky that you haven't been killed, or arrested."

Harry found it very hard not to shout something very unpleasant at him, and only nodded grimly instead.

"Harry, you have no idea how frightened I was for you. After you went inside I started to think that we shouldn't have let you go in at all. It really wasn't the brightest idea." Ginny said, a glimmer of panic in her eyes. "What happened in there?"

Harry couldn't help feeling pleased that she had worried. That meant that she still cared about him, and even if it was nothing more than what friend's might feel for each other, it was still better than nothing.

"You didn't let him get away, did you?" Alex prodded, when Harry didn't respond.

Again Harry lifted the corner of his invisibility cloak to expose Snape's face. Ginny threw her hands up over her mouth, and let out a sharp gasp. Alex merely nodded appreciatively, looking very much like he wanted to give Harry a hearty slap on the back.

"Invisibility cloak." Alex said in an admiring tone. "Good thinking."

"What are you going to do now?" Ginny interjected, still looking slightly horrified. "We have to be careful, or else you might get sacked over this, or worse!"

Harry tried his best to seem unconcerned, but in reality his stomach suddenly seemed be turning flip-flops. He couldn't say it wasn't worth it to capture Snape, but a year of training and hard work was an awful lot to throw away.

"I really don't know what to do." Harry confessed. "I'll bring him to the ministry I guess."

"No!" Alex quickly insisted, which such force that Hermione and Ginny both looked startled. "That definitely isn't a wise idea right now. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but there are still a fair number of people in the ministry who hold grudges against you, Harry. If you bring Snape to them in this condition, there's bound to be an inquiry. If they find out what you did to Narcissa Malfoy this morning, they'll crucify you. Getting sacked will be the least of your worries."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" He asked bluntly while staring daggers at Alex, who seemed unaware of Harry's hostility.

"Take him home." Alex said, looking towards Hermione and Ginny for their approval. "Wait a few days, to place a distance between yourself and the...incident. Then immobilize Snape and leave him somewhere out in the open. Have a trustworthy friend send for the ministry, and then wait somewhere secluded and watch. He'll be in Azkaban that night guaranteed, and no one will ever have real proof that you were involved. The ministry would never believe Snape, and I strongly doubt anyone here would betray you."

Harry felt vaguely dumbfounded, and Hermione looked incredulous.

"Can't you see that will only make things worse!" Hermione protested. "It's better to bring Snape to the ministry now, and face whatever consequences may come. If we try and hide what we've done..."

"Easy for you to say." Ginny interjected. "Your entire future isn't at risk, and you know you'll never end up in Azkaban. You know how some of those wankers at the ministry are. It should be up to Harry anyway, just let him decide before you go and get all worked up."

All eyes were shifted to Harry, who had grown remarkably paler in the past few seconds.

"I don't know." He confessed, his chest heavy with an imaginary weight.

For all of his bravery, Harry didn't think he could face the ministry today. He didn't want to answer for what he had done, and Alex's plan seemed like such an easy solution. Harry wouldn't be blamed, and Snape would still be brought to justice.

"I guess we should do what Alex says." Harry said, quelling an intense feeling of spite towards him. "But if something goes wrong, its his fault."

Alex only laughed, and patted Harry on the shoulder.

"Let's do this then." Alex announced, clearly happy to be in charge.

Harry couldn't say he felt the same.


	9. In Harry's Cottage

A/N: Yeah I suck...I will update more. I promise : )

Harry rushed into the empty cottage first, pulling all of the curtains tightly shut. The place had grown cold in his absence, and he was already wet and miserable. It hadn't been hard enough to apperate Snape here, and they probably couldn't have done it all without Alex's help, something that Harry was reluctant to admit.

Ginny and Alex followed him inside, levitating Snape between them. Harry lit the sitting room with a flick of his wand, and then began to peel off his damp windbreaker.

"What's upstairs?" Alex asked, glancing up the narrow stairwell.

"My bedroom, and a bathroom." Harry answered. "That's all."

Hermione sulked into the room, shutting the door behind her. She hadn't spoken a word since they had apperated from London, and was clearly not about to start talking now. Ginny had been ignoring her, while Alex had been overly apologetic and eager to please.

"You obviously have a bed up there then?" Alex inquired, biting his lip thoughtfully.

Harry nodded, understanding at once what Alex had in mind.

"Do you have a length of rope by any chance?"

"I have some in my trunk upstairs." Harry said, remembering with a shiver how only hours before he had retrieved the Veritaserum to use on Narcissa.

Alex rubbed his hands together excitedly, a gesture that left Harry feeling vaguely uncomfortable. His initial distrust had faded rather quickly as Alex threw all his energy into aiding him in his plight, though it hadn't entirely died away.

"Should we move him upstairs then?" Ginny asked, yanking the dripping invisibility cloak of off Snape's suspended frame.

Silently, Hermione took the cloak from her and retreated into the kitchen, where she began to wring it out over the sink, in a subtle move to distance herself from what she obviously found to be a disturbing conversation.

Carefully Ginny guided Snape up to Harry's bedroom, Alex and Harry filing up the stairs behind her. She lowered Snape onto the bed, and then turned towards Alex to wait for instructions.

"A good binding spell should keep him in place." Alex explained, as Harry moved to fetch the rope. "But I'd feel better it we tied him as well."

As Harry tried not to think about how casual the discussion seemed, he handed the coiled rope to Alex, and stood back and gladly let him do the work. It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't want to touch Snape unless he absolutely had to, because the mere thought of it made him feel ill.

"How long do you think we'll have to keep him here?" Ginny inquired, watching as Alex tied Snape's rigid wrists and ankles to the bedposts with expert knots.

"A few days should do it." Alex said, standing back to admire his handy work. "Just enough to time so Harry can be seen at work, like nothing has happened. That way when we do turn him in the ministry will have a hard time proving that Harry was involved. Obviously if he's supposed to be holding someone prisoner he wouldn't be showing up to work and..."

"We're not holding anyone prisoner." Harry tersely replied.

He wasn't sure what made this situation any different, other than his own insistence that it was.

"But how is he supposed to go to work?" Ginny asked. "He can't very well leave Snape here alone. The binding spell won't last forever, and I wouldn't risk it anyway."

"I'll stay here with him." Hermione offered from the doorway.

No one had been aware of her presence, and Ginny was so startled by the sound of her voice she had to hold back a yelp of surprise.

"For tomorrow and Tuesday at least." Hermione continued, stepping inside to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Good." Alex said shortly, glancing down at his watch. "I'm glad that's settled. Listen, I'll be back tonight to help, but I've got to go before I'm missed at the office."

Harry made a point of looking away as Ginny planted a chaste kiss on Alex's cheek, and Hermione offered a clipped goodbye.

"What's wrong with you?" Ginny hissed at Hermione, as soon as Alex had descended the staircase. "You don't have to be such prat."

"Your boyfriend has gotten Harry in over his head." Hermione countered, her eyes narrowing. "I've got a right to be angry."

Harry wished he had something clever to say that would end the argument, but his mind was very blank at the moment.

"Do you think you're the only one who cares about Harry?" Ginny sharply replied, causing Harry's heart to flutter so severely he felt lightheaded.

"No." Hermione said flatly. "But I'm the one trying to protect him..."

Ginny let out a loud scornful laugh, and Harry's stomach dropped when he saw Snape twitch at the sudden noise. The spell was wearing off, and in mere minutes he would be mobile and definitely very vocal. He was about to suggest that they concentrate on Snape, when Ginny grabbed onto his shoulder, wearing a rare vindictive smile.

"I think I should tell you..." Ginny began, though she faltered when Hermione let out a sharp but nearly silent gasp.

Harry snapped his head in Hermione's direction, and she stared back at him almost blankly. All at once the disagreement seemed to be forgotten, as Ginny muttered what Harry took to be an apology.

"Tell me what?" Harry asked.

"What spell did you use on him Harry?" Hermione asked, eager to chance the subject. "It seems that is was rather weak, though of course you were under quite a bit of pressure."

"Tell me what?" He repeated, though his questioning fell on deaf ears.

Hermione and Ginny had dissolved into their own conversation, flitting nervously around Snape like two moths around a light. Snape in turn attempted to lift his head, but was still clearly incapable of speech at the moment.

"I've got to leave as well." Hermione said, though she looked reluctant to go. "I would stay, but my editor is expecting me and I can't possibly cancel now."

Hermione wrote a few freelance pieces for _Witches Weekly _every month, usually human interest stories about abused house elves and other equally horrid injustices. From what Harry understood the pay was pitiful, but Hermione seemed to enjoy it enough.

"Just tell her you're writing about giant's rights against and make a day of it." Ginny pleaded. "I told Fleur I'd take the baby for a few hours today and it isn't right to leave Harry alone for long."

Suddenly, Harry was under the impression that everyone was politely bailing out on him, though of course this was hardly the case. Still, this meant he would be alone with Snape until his friends returned. That was not something he had planned for. So much for safety in numbers.

"I'll only be gone an hour at the most." Hermione promised, hugging Harry tightly before she left.

"I've just got to give Fleur enough time to run some errands, and then I'll be right back." Ginny hastily explained.

Then she too was gone, and Snape and Harry were left alone.


	10. A Truth Revealed

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I finally got a real teaching job, which has enveloped my life for the time being. I spell checked this myself, so sorry for any mistakes!_

Harry sat on the lid of his trunk, giving Snape a hardened stare. Snape in turn was glaring at him with the same dark and vaguely threatening gaze that Harry had often glimpsed in his nightmares.

"Funny Potter, I thought you would have outgrown this by now." Snape said in a horse whisper, speaking for the first time since they had arrived at the cottage.

Harry paused for a moment, common sense telling him it was best to ignore Snape, but the fiery hatred that had brewed inside of him for so long begging for a confrontation.

"Outgrown what?" Harry asked at last, somewhat warily.

"These pathetic attempts at heroism." Snape responded, a wicked smile coming to linger on his pale face. "How many times have you mistaken foolishness for bravery?"

"Shut up." Harry said flatly, his words void of any feeling.

He knew that he had been brave, and despite what anyone might think he was definitely not playing the hero. He had never really wanted to be one, and even though the praise and recognition had felt good at times, it had always ended up making things more difficult for Harry.

"You beg to differ?" Snape continued, clearly wishing to dig a thorn into Harry's side. "I suppose you think that your actions are noble."

Again, common sense told Harry it was best to be silent, because he was only giving Snape what he wanted. Again, he could not stay quiet.

"I want revenge." Harry replied honestly. "I don't think there's any too noble about that."

"Really?" He asked, an odd gleam in his eyes. "Well, I'm glad you've made that clear."

A faint sneer appeared onSnape's face, one that Harry found vaguely troubling. It was almost as if he knew something that Harry didn't. Feeling very ill at ease, Harry leapt up from the trunk and turned towards the window, his back to Snape.

Outside the rain was still falling in miserable icy sheets, setting a very grim mood over the landscape. His eyes followed the wet muddy road down towards the horizon, where, if he squinted. he could just make the grey headstones of the village cemetery...

A sudden thought made Harry's stomach lurch. In the ruckus of the past two days he had nearly forgotten how he had found out about Snape in the first place. Mrs. Lloyd had seen him in the cemetery, leaving flowers on his mother's grave. Why?

Harry turned on his heels, his gut burning with a potent mix of anger and confusion. How dare he even lay eyes on her resting place, when he had helped bring about her death.

"Why were you at my mother's grave?" Harry suddenly demanded, his cheeks flaring red with fury.

For a moment Snape seemed to be genuinely caught off guard, though he regained his composure so quickly Harry couldn't be sure.

"Yes...I thought that might have been discovered." He responded slowly, taking great care with his words. "A very infantile mistake on my part. I did not count on that curious neighbor of yours appearing."

Now it was Harry's turn to be surprised. He had never heard Snape criticize himself before, and it gave his entire statement a feeling of blunt honesty.

"Why were you there?" Harry asked again, raising the volume of his voice in an attempt to be intimidating.

"I don't suppose that is any of your business." He responded curtly, though he refused to look Harry in the eye.

Frustrated, Harry yanked his wand out of his pants pocket. Suddenly he felt that if he didn't know the truth he was going to burst.

"Tell me or I'll hex you!" He demanded, pointing his wand at Snape's chest.

"That won't be necessary." He replied in a smooth, calm voice. "Though I would like to see you try. I did always find your attempts at hexes rather pitiful."

Harry raised his wand threateningly, but then lowered it again when not even a flicker of fright or emotion appeared in Snape's expression.

"As I said, the use of violence is quite unnecessary at this point. As for your question, I came out of curiosity."

Harry had never considered himself especially intuitive, but he had the distinct feeling that this wasn't entirely the truth.

"What were you curious about?" Harry asked, sitting back down on the lid of his trunk, his wand still at the ready.

"Nothing in particular." Snape responded coolly.

Annoyed, Harry let out a great huff of breath and narrowed his eyes into tiny slits. He wished he could remember some of the Occlumency he had been taught, it would really come in handy right about now.

"I wouldn't attempt it Potter." Snape said, dryly. "You'll only end up embarrassing yourself."

Harry's eyes widened as he struggled to push every single one of his thoughts to the back of his mind. He had nearly forgotten that Snape was skilled in Legilimency, and could only wonder how long he had been using this to his advantage today.

"Long enough." Snape said, almost lazily. "What a shame you weren't bright enough to figure it out."

Harry's face went red, as he fervently wished he had something witty or biting to throw back at him. Instead, he focused on clearing his mind, blocking out everything except the sound of the rain pounding down on the roof above their heads.

"Stunningly adequate." Snape offered, breaking the silence. "Perhaps you were not entirely a lost cause."

Trying very hard to suppress anything vaguely resembling at emotion, Harry again returned to questioning.

"I think that you're lying." He said with narrowed eyes. "I think you went to my mother's grave and left those flowers to taunt me. You knew I would find out, and that it would make me angry."

"Angry enough to resume your pursuit of me?" Snape lifted his head slightly from the pillow, wearing a dubious sneer. "You have a mind Potter, you should think of putting it to use sometime. If that twit Narcissa had not come babbling like a fool to your front door you have been no closer to finding me than you had been before. What would the point of such a taunt be if I did not wish to be found?"

"You did it out of cruelty." Harry replied with surprisingly calmness.

He hadn't had time to think these things through, but that would seem to make the most sense.

"Highly illogical" Snape continued, with the same methodical reasoning he would have once used to grade a potions essay. "You will find yourself a poor Auror indeed."

"Stop it!" Harry demanded at once, his anger returning.

He was sure Snape was playing mind games with him, and he didn't like it. There must be some way to gain the upper hand, to force him to reveal his true intentions...

Struggling to remember what had been taught to him so long ago, Harry slowly stood, clutching his wand at his side. He couldn't remember much from his lessons with Snape, but did recall that it had always been harder to close his mind when he was distracted. He remembered the spell as well, or at least he hoped he did.

Before he could give Snape a chance to anticipate his actions he drew back his hand and punched him in the stomach...hard. Though he would have liked to revel in the satisfaction of _finally _being able to do that, he knew he had no time to waste.

"Legilimens!"

The room vanished before his eyes, and with surprisingly little resistance Harry was able to bring a flood of images into his mind. At first they were moving so quickly that he was unable to catch only fragments of images...

_...two young boys, one of which who looked very much like Harry, taunting a young wiry girl with dark red hair in front of Snape...the same redheaded girl, only older, standing with Snape beside the lake...the girl caught in an embrace a boy who easily could have been Harry's twin while Snape looked on in disgust...the girl, grown into a woman now, lightly kissing a pallid and disheveled Snape on the cheek..._

An incredible pain stuck Harry around the temples, like he had been stabbed with a knife. Quickly he let the images disappear, and staggered backwards holding his head in his hands. Still panting from the blow, Snape weakly shot a furious look in Harry's direction.

"Oh God..." Harry moaned, as the pain slowly dissipated. "My mother...kissed you."

Snape made no response, wisely sensing this was not the time for excessive emotion. Harry meanwhile began to feel the beginnings of an insane rage nipping at his insides.

"Was that before or after the prophecy!" Harry shouted, shaking with a pure unbreakable rage. "Was that before or after you sold her out!"

Snape did not respond at once, when he did it in a voice that was deceivingly tranquil.

"Contrary to what you might believe, I did not, as you say, sell Lily out." He explained, in an even and unwavering voice. "Even if I had wanted to, it would have been impossible to know to whom the prophecy was directed."

Harry throat closed, and he could feel bile beginning to churn in his stomach. He had never been this angry in his entire life, not even after Sirius died, not even after Dumbledore...

"You deserve to die!" Harry spat, consumed with rage. "How dare you touch my mother! How dare you touch her after you _sold her out_!"

"Have been listening to a single thing I've said?" Snape shouted, with a sudden rancorous anger. "I did not mean to betray her!"

If he had not been bound to the bed Harry was sure Snape would have had his hands wrapped around his throat by now. This only made him all the more angry.

"WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME THE TRUTH, MURDERER!" Harry cried, his voice reaching a new crescendo. "I DESERVE THE TRUTH!"

"YOU WANT THE TRUTH?" Snape shouted back with equal passion. "I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO SAVE HER, I BEGGED FOR HER LIFE...YOU STUPID LITTLE..."

"You liar!" Harry countered, though Snape's claims had eaten away at some of his anger. "Why would you do that?"

"I LOVED HER!" Snape finally cried, shocking them both into a silence so intense it seemed to consume everything.


	11. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait...hopefully there are not too many mistakes in here!_

Harry staggered back, as if he had been struck. All of the feeling in his body seemed to slowly trickling down to his feet, replaced by an intense numbness. He couldn't remember rushing from the room, or slamming the door behind him. It seemed that he simply floated down the stairs, carried on a wayward breeze. His feet came to an abrupt halt in the kitchen, dropping him down onto a chair.

The icy rain was pattering madly against the kitchen window, muffling the sound of Harry's breathing. For a long moment he seemed caught in between a sublime rage and a turbulent shock, not knowing in which direction his mood would fall.

"My _mother._" Harry whispered, resting his trembling hands on the worn table top.

He had thought of Lily often when the was younger, still a little boy eager to be wrapped safely in a mother's embrace. As he grew older, and discovered both Hogwarts and the secrets of his past, it was his father who lived most vividly in his imagination. His father had always seemed to hold the key to his fate and existence, while his mother was mearly his mother. She had given him life and loved him, and then given her life to see his go on. Harry had never wondered what she looked like as a girl, who her friends were, none of the things had obsessed him about his father. He had never thought to dig beneath the surface of her extinguished life, to discover what made his mother _Lily_. What defined her beyond the presence of his own life.

What if Snape's declaration of love was true? He could know things about his mother that he didn't. Harry wasn't sure whether this was supposed to make him feel angry. What if Snape did know these things? It wasn't fair that he was allowed to keep them, away from Harry. Away from someone who really did love her.

The front door opened, a rush of cold air blowing through the house, dragging Harry slowly from his thoughts. He lifted his head, watching as Ginny walking towards him. Her cheeks were red from the cold, and droplets of frozen water clung to her shining red hair.

His mother had red hair. No, not exactly red. Auburn...the color of hazy sunsets and leaves in autumn.

"Are you alright Harry?" Ginny asked, the edges of her lips curling down into a frown. "I told Fleur her errands would have to wait for another day. I didn't feel right leaving you..."

Harry rose from the chair, suddenly feeling antsy and feverish. He didn't want Snape here anymore, he didn't him to be his responsibility. But also, he didn't want to give him the chance to make any other unsettling revelations.

"We have to turn Snape in." Harry said, pacing the room nervously. "It doesn't make any sense not to. He's a wanted criminal, we were just doing the right thing..."

"I guess." Ginny said flatly, unsure of how to respond. "But Alex thought..."

"Alex doesn't know everything!" Harry said harshly, cringing at the sound of his own voice.

Ginny's arms fluttered up over her chest, with the grace of a bird wounded in flight. Her lips were closed tightly, though her eyes seemed to convey all the hurt that speech would not.

"Sorry." Harry muttered, ashamed to have hurt her. "I'm just...I don't understand why we can't just bring Snape to the ministry. We haven't done anything _really _wrong."

Ginny sighed, a forced smile returning to her porcelain face.

"Not exactly." She agreed. "Maybe, Alex was overreacting. I'm sure the ministry will so relieved to finally caught him, they might not care how."

Harry nodded enthusiastically, his chest tightening, anxious for action.

"Let's just do it now...before anything else happens." He said, grabbing Ginny lightly by the wrist and pulling her towards the stairs.

"Something happened?" Ginny inquired, lightly as if she was afraid what his reaction might be.

"Yeah." Harry said gruffly, wishing he could forget Snape's sudden words.

If he could get Snape out of his house...out of sight, out of mind. He wouldn't have to think about Snape and his mother kissing. About how Snape might know things about his mother. Things Harry would never know, when it was his right. She was _his _mother.

"Did he try to hurt you? " Ginny asked, as they mounted the stairs.

"Probably." Harry said, a bitter laugh catching his throat. "He just loves my mother, that's all. He kissed my mother."

"He kissed..." Ginny began, staring at Harry as if he had gone mad. "How?"

"Years ago I mean." Harry said. "Before he betrayed her...before he got my mum and dad killed."

When the reached the small dark landing at the top of the stairs Ginny stepped in front of the door, blocking Harry's way. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, searching his green eyes for that reassuring softness that she had always found there.

"I can't begin to understand what you must be feeling right now." She whispered, her expression grave but somehow warm at the same time. "But you're Snape get the best of you. You haven't been acting yourself these past few days...its like your possessed with seeing him punished."

"Wouldn't you be?" Harry nearly shouted, not caring it Snape should hear him. "He killed Dumbledore, if you haven't forgotten! He ratted about the prophecy to Voldemort and got my parents killed. He lied to every single one of us!"

Ginny blinked rapidly, unable to see past the harshness in his voice. She could remember being that angry, at Dumbledore's funeral. Wondering how Snape could have done it, wondering if he even had a heart. But time had diluted her pain, and her rage as well. It would always be there, but no longer was it an uncontrollable fury, threatening to incinerate everything around her.

"Get a grip Harry." She whispered, so softly that he nearly missed it.

Harry paused, his hand resting on the doorknob, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. He shoved the door open without turning, daring her to step forward.

"Go in there then, and look into his eyes." He whispered, his voice suddenly very cold. "And tell me if you see a single speck of goodness, of anything besides hate for Merlin's sake..."

Ginny threw her hands up over her mouth, and then dropped them just as quickly. After fumbling for a second she pulled her wand free, and shoved past Harry into the bedroom.

"Wha..." Harry began, turning on his heels.

His voice died away when saw what Ginny had seen.

The open window, curtains fluttering on the breeze...the empty room.


End file.
